class Solution:
    def mergeAlternately(self, word1: str, word2: str) -> str:
        minLen = min(len(word1), len(word2))
        
        ans = ''
        for i in range(minLen):
            ans += word1[i] + word2[i]
        
        if len(word1) == len(word2):
            return ans
        
        ans += word2[minLen:] if len(word2) > len(word1) else word1[minLen]
        return ans